"HARVEY WEINSTEIN RAPED ME" ROSE MCGOWAN SAID

Rose McGowan has suggested disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein raped her.

One of the central figures in the misconduct allegations that have engulfed one of Hollywood's most powerful men over the past week, the Charmed and Scream actress, who had previously alleged Weinstein sexually assaulted her in 1997, went further when she tweeted this morning: "HW raped me".

The initials were an apparent reference to Weinstein, who has been accused by several actresses and models of sexual harassment, and The Hollywood Reporter said the actress confirmed to them that she was referring to the mogul.

She later shared an NBC story, which included quotes from Weinstein, saying: "This is a prime example of how you are being complicit in RAPE CULTURE. DO NOT GIVE RAPISTS A PLATFORM. Damn you."

The New York Times has reported that Weinstein paid a financial settlement of $100,000 to McGowan in 1997 over an incident in a hotel room at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

The Summit County Sheriff's Office, which shares a records system with Utah's Park City Police, had no reports or calls involving Weinstein or McGowan in the past 30 years, sheriff's spokesman Andrew Wright said.

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Weinstein's representative Sallie Hofmeister did not immediately return a message seeking comment, but has said: "Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr Weinstein."

McGowan last year said she had been raped by a "studio head".

After days of widening scandal, McGowan appeared emboldened to go further in her descriptions of her past experiences with Weinstein.

Shortly before a series of tweets addressed to Amazon chief Jeff Bezos, McGowan tweeted a woman warrior picture with #Rosearmy and stated "It's on".

"I told the head of your studio that HW raped me," said McGowan in tweets directed to Bezos.

"Over and Over I said it. He said it hadn't been proven. I said I was the proof."

In subsequent tweets, McGowan appeared to suggest that Amazon Studios, which is overseen by Roy Price, previously dropped a project penned by McGowan after she insisted Weinstein not be involved.

Representatives for Amazon did not immediately respond to McGowan's tweets but a short time later the company said Price had taken a leave of absence after The Hollywood Reporter published a producer's detailed claims of harassment by Price.

Producer Isa Hackett alleged that Price propositioned her in 2015 using crudely suggestive language.

Hackett, whose lawyer said did not intend to pursue legal action over the alleged harassment, is the daughter of author Philip K Dick and a producer of Amazon's Man in the High Castle.

Take a look at the comments to see what our readers thought about the latest accusation against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein.

The New Yorker ran an exposé this week reporting that Weinstein had allegedly sexually assaulted three women, though the third woman was unnamed.

Hollywood reacts

Numerous Hollywood figures have slammed Hollywood powerbroker Harvey Weinstein, criticising his behaviour and "abuse of power".

The New York Times earlier reported that Weinstein paid a financial settlement of $US100,000 to McGowan in 1997.

That settlement included provisions about speaking about the case in the future.

McGowan, 44, has emerged as one of the most vocal in Hollywood about sexual abuse and harassment in the industry.

She has pushed for the remaining board members of The Weinstein Co to resign in the wake of the allegations against Weinstein and this week called Ben Affleck "a liar" on Twitter, suggesting the actor knew about Weinstein's conduct.

Representatives for Affleck — who apologised this week for grabbing a TV host's breast — did not respond to messages regarding that allegation.

Considering McGowan's stature as a central figure in the Weinstein saga, Twitter sparked an outcry across social media when it temporarily suspended McGowan from its service.

Twitter said it suspended McGowan's account because she tweeted a private phone number, a practice it said violated its service terms.

The company said it will "be clearer about these policies and decisions in the future".